Approval Stages

Stage 1

Drawings and Documents

There are many drawings that a Council will need for a Development Application.

Most Council will have their own check lists for what drawings that they require. In addition to these drawings the Councils may request other supporting documents and reports to be included with the application including

Obtaining service authority approval for water supply and sewerage

Obtaining service authority approval for electricity, gas phone and storm water connections.

Application for footpath crossing from Council.

Pay Long Service Levy if doing the project as an Owner Builder.

Stage 2

​Submit the Application to Council

Step 2 is to make an official submission to your local council. This is known as the Development Application (DA)

The procedure involves completing the application form, paying the prescribed fee and submitting the drawings and documents.

The council will then send out notification (in the form of a plan and elevations) to residents in close proximity to you. The purpose of the notification is to allow residents to comment or object to your application if they consider it might have unfavourably consequences to the local community or their own property.

A decision on your application usually takes 6-8 weeks, but depending on the work load of your council, might take longer. If Council require any additional information they may contact you in the meantime and may also ask for additional information.

Stage 3

​DA Approved

The approval letter is accompanied by a set of stamped drawings and a document known as the “Conditions of Consent”.

The Conditions of Consent sets out the conditions of your approval, which require you to satisfy in order to obtain a construction certificate (CC) and commence building.

What must be remembered is that the approved DA is not an approval to commence building works but is an approval of the design in principle.

Stage 4

​Construction Certificate (CC)

Step 4 is to obtain a construction certificate (CC). This can be achieved through a private certifier (PCA) or council. In order to get a CC you must submit a new set of drawings to one of these certifying authorities. The certifier will require you to provide all applicable drawings, documents and certificates, plus they will want to make sure that you have satisfied all the “conditions of consent”.

The documents should include –

a complete set of architectural drawings,

a complete set of specifications

engineers drawings (if requested)

stormwater design (if requested)

other authority approvals or certificates (if requested)

Stage 5

​Construction can begin.

Building can now commence

Once the CC is issued, and you have the go ahead from your certifier, you may commence building.